


Greenie

by Happy_Giraffe



Series: Greenie Series [1]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fire, Fluff, How do the police work?, Hurt/Comfort, I have no idea how I wrote this, I'm so sorry, It's actual garbage, Mentions of sex trafficking, Multi, Nightmares, Panic Attacks, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Trauma, no beta we die like men, partners, police work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-04
Updated: 2018-11-04
Packaged: 2019-08-18 19:24:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16523174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Happy_Giraffe/pseuds/Happy_Giraffe
Summary: Nines and Gavin get a new partner





	Greenie

**Author's Note:**

> This is garbage, turn back while you can. I have no idea how anything works.

At nineteen (Full Name) was the youngest officer accepted into the New York City Police Department. She had found herself in an academy that accepted recruits as young as eighteen and there had been more than enough pressure from the higher-ups to graduate her even at the young age as she was such a promising student. The department had found her a useful resource, using her for far more than just patrol work. However, she had been too green for what they had asked of her; she had been too green to see what she had to see; she had been too green to understand how to properly handle everything she had gone through. It took eight months for the NYPD to break their new toy, to break their newest, most promising officer, to break a nineteen year old. In their eyes a broken officer was useless, so they had her transferred to Detroit, where things had calmed down ever since the integration on deviant androids and the revolution three years ago.  
\---  
“Excuse me,” You tapped on the shoulder of a taller man standing before you, “I’m looking for Detectives Reed and Nines. Would you happen to know where I could find them?”  
The man turned around and you immediately noticed the blue LED on his temple; an android, “You must be the new transfer? My name is Connor,” He smiled and stuck his hand out, to which you shook it, “Nines is my younger brother, and I’m sure he’s where ever Detective Reed is, which is probably in the breakroom.” He gestured across the bullpen to a room with glass walls and a few tables, “If you have any questions, don’t be afraid to ask. Many of the officers on this floor are very friendly.”  
You nodded and took a deep breath, “Thank you, Connor. And, my name is (Y/N).”  
Connor nodded and turned back to his work as you headed towards the breakroom. You blended in with the hustle and bustle of the bullpen, a little short if anything, but that only made it easier to weave your way through everyone. You entered the breakroom and stood to the side of the entrance for a moment as you took in who you assumed were your men. They stood at a table, or more appropriately one stood strong and tall, Nines you assumed if he was in fact Connor’s brother, while the other leaned against the table, cup of coffee clutched in his hand and hip popped as they argued about something rather loudly. Reed was much louder than his partner and crass for that matter, something that made you roll your eyes, and you found yourself smiling as you caught Nines rolling his eyes as well.  
With a surge of confidence, you strode up to the pair and gently tapped on Reed’s shoulder, “Excuse me, are you Detective Reed?”  
“What do you want?” The man growled angrily as he whipped around, slamming his cup onto the table in front of him. “You lost or what rookie?”  
You startled a bit at the accusation but watched nonetheless as the detective looked you up and down none to subtly. You were in your long sleeve, blue uniform, the patch near your shoulder reading NYPD but could be easily traded for a new DPD one in the blink of an eye. A French braid ran across your hair, pulling your hair back neatly and tightly to where it sat above your collar and wasn’t an easy handle for grabbing. Your makeup was minimal, just enough to make you look healthy and put together despite whatever you may or may not have been feeling in that moment. After he had plenty of time to look you over, you crossed your arms and frowned.  
“I’m your new partner, jackass,” You huffed unamused and rolled your eyes, “My name is-”  
Nines cut you off smoothly, raising an eyebrow, “(Y/Full N), twenty years old, transferred from New York,” He was analyzing you to create a new profile in his system; a new human he would have to look after.  
Gavin sneered, “Fuck that, I am not babysitting a greenie.”  
A low growl rumbled in your chest as you stared the human detective down, “I’ve seen far more atrocious things in eight months in New York than you have in twenty years of detective work here in Detroit, Detective Reed. I am by no means green.”  
“Oh yeah? And what exactly have you seen that qualifies as atrocious? A marital scuffle? Petty robbery?” He mocked you with a laugh.  
“I don’t like to talk about it,” You snapped as your firsts clenched.  
Gavin leaned down so he was face to face with you, an unimpressed look in his eyes, “If you won’t talk then you haven’t seen anything. You just don’t want to admit you’re a patrol officer who got transferred because you couldn’t handle it,” He stood straight again, daring you to say otherwise.  
“There is quite a large amount of redacted information in your file, Officer (L/N),” Nines stated as he looked down his nose at you, exuding an air of authority, “Perhaps you care to explain why I only have access to two of your eight months of service?”  
You shook your head, shooting a warning glare at Nines as you declared, “That information is redacted for a reason. What happened in those six months is strictly between me and the NYPD.”  
Nines nodded respectfully, “So Captain Fowler knows as well?”  
“Yes,” You hissed quietly, “He had to be informed to accept my transfer, however the captain has sworn secrecy on my behalf.”  
Nines nodded again and it seemed some of the tension between you and Detective Reed had simmered down. The android directed both you and Gavin to their preciously vacated desks. Seeing as you were new, your terminal and log in were still being set up, so for now Nines offered you to sit on the empty space of his desk and work on one of his tablets. You agreed somewhat hesitantly but once you were seated and reviewing the details of the case he and Reed were currently working on it was like you were in your own little world. Nines took the time to examine how you worked, even if it was in an unconventional space; his file on you was missing six months of information and he needed to fill in the blanks somehow. He noticed how you immediately focused, your eyebrows furrowing the more you delved in. Your eyes would flick across the screen as you analyzed the information presented to you and soon you were dancing your fingers across the screen, re-categorizing the evidence. He watched the screen in amazement as you began diving deeper, away from what was given and more into your personal thoughts.  
“Did you consider her ophthalmologist?” You asked as you looked up from the tablet.  
Nines’ LED spun yellow for a moment as he went back through the evidence, “What brings you to that conclusion?”  
“So our victim got Lasik surgery from Dr. Anthony Miller about a month before she went missing. If you look further into Miller’s file you’ll find he has multiple charges of stalking as well as a few restraining orders, all with past female clients. If you start looking into these women who were clients, though, at least five of them are currently missing persons in cold cases,” You shook your head, “Maybe this is bigger than a single dead lady?”  
Gavin looked to Nines, “How did we miss that?”  
“I don’t know but grab your jacket. We’re going.”  
Nines stood abruptly, motioning for you to follow him as he marched out of the precinct. You and Gavin trailed after the tall android obediently, the detective shrugging on his jacket as he walked a few steps ahead of you. The freezing air hit the pair of you like a brick wall when you exited the sleek building, causing Gavin to stutter step and swear under his breath. You, on the other hand, took in a deep breath of the chilling air and smiled, taking a couple long, purposeful strides to get ahead of him. Nines waited by a car that was definitely not a squad care, it looked rather old and beat up, and as soon as he confirmed you and Gavin had followed he ducked into the driver’s seat. You slid into the passenger side backseat, knowing the older detective wouldn’t appreciate you sitting in the front, and moments later he joined you and Nines.  
“Nines?” You asked as he turned the ignition, “We don’t have a warrant do we?” The realization had dawned on you suddenly, and it was an important part of any investigation.  
“You needn’t worry, Officer (L/N). We’ll have one by time we get there,” Nines responded smoothly, a smirk gracing his lips.  
The quiet hum of the engine filled the car and it rumbled gently as Nines pulled away from the precinct. He and Gavin spoke softly to each other, mostly about their course of action once they got there, and it was becoming increasingly obvious that they meant for you to wait in the car while they searched the building. It seemed to be mostly on Gavin’s insistence that you were still green. The more they mumbled between themselves the more frustrated you got. You didn’t appreciate being ignored and talked about. Angry, you swiftly kicked the back of Gavin’s seat, causing him to pause mid-sentence and turn to shoot a deadly glare in your direction.  
“Not funny, greenie,” He growled.  
You played dumb, “What’s not funny, detective?”  
“Cute. Kick my seat again and you’ll be tucking and rolling out of this car,” He threatened as he turned back around.  
“Really?” You asked as you kicked his seat again, “Oops, my foot slipped.”  
Gavin nearly shouted as he demanded, “Nines, pull over!”  
“I will not,” Nines said coldly, “I will also not have you two squabbling like children. Officer, please move to sit behind me and if you kick my seat you will be punished like the child you are behaving like. Detective Reed face front and do not engage Officer (L/N).”  
“Yes, Detective Nines,” You mumbled petulantly as you unbuckled your seatbelt and slid behind him.  
Gavin huffed unhappily and crossed his arms as he stared out the window. The quiet banter between the two detectives returned and you became bored with trying to listen in. Humming softly to yourself, you leaned against the window to stare out at the grey, dreary scenery that was your new city. Detroit was beautiful but it was nothing like New York. The hustle and bustle here wasn’t quite as urgent and the streets weren’t nearly as full. It wasn’t as bright either, in New York you almost couldn’t tell it was night, especially in Times Square. Detroit was nice, but it wasn’t New York. It wasn’t your home. Needless to say, you missed your city.  
When Nines finally pulled up to a small, nicely kept house Gavin was the first one out of the car, ordering, “Stay here, greenie,” before slamming the door.  
Nines climbed out much slower, gracefully almost before turning to cast his gaze at you in the backseat, “Come along, Officer. We may need your insight.”  
What you didn’t know when you climbed out of the car was that Nines fully intended on using you as a distraction for Dr. Miller as they snooped around the house; after all, there was ample evidence that you were his type. The android placed his hand on the small of your back, gently ushering you towards the front door where Gavin was already pounding away. When Dr. Miller answered the door Gavin shoved his way into the house rather rudely as Nines presented the warrant he had attained while driving. He explained that he and his partner would be looking around while you questioned him, “just routine,” he had reassured.  
Dr. Miller gladly allowed Nines past so he could eye you up and down. Although you uniform covered you completely it felt as if he was trying to undress you with his eyes as he led you into his living room where he gently pushed you down to sit on the couch before sitting beside you. You felt anxiety flare in your chest as his knees bumped against yours. It didn’t take a genius to realize this man was a creep, and you were right to have your concerns. He continuously touched you throughout the questioning, placing gentle touches to your arms, thighs and even once being so bold as to touch your neck. The touch to the neck was what had you most alarms as he seemed to be feeling for something. You wished Nines and Gavin would hurry up, especially since you were quickly running out of questions and Miller was trying to pull personal information out of you.  
Your phone buzzed once, signaling an email, and you shot up from your seat as if it was a phone call, “Excuse me, I need to take this.”  
You darted from the house before Dr. Miller could say anything, the tension in your chest building. You shoved through the door and headed straight towards the beat up car you had arrived in and tried to open the back door only to find it locked. Your whole body shook as you desperately pulled at the handle a few more times before finally sliding to the ground to rest your back against the cold metal of the car. Reality began to fade and nothing felt real as your breaths came in short, desperate gasps and the feeling of pins and needles filled your being. Everything felt hypersensitive but hazy and you felt like you were choking. All you could think was “not now, not now. God, please, not now.” But life wasn’t that merciful.  
You had no idea how much time had passed or how long nothing felt real but the muffled voices near you were becoming clearer and the hand on your shoulder was definitely real and real was bad. You flinched away from the hand, shoving it away before doing your best to back as far away from the offending appendage as possible, which wasn’t very far since you were backed against a car. Fear shot through your system as you finally noticed Nines and Gavin knelt down before you, both looking very concerned. Nines’ hand was still held out, as if he was going to touch you again, but he looked confused and his LED was red.  
You shook you head as you gasped, “Don’t touch me…please. Don’t touch me.” Your whole body trembled as tears streaked your cheeks.  
“Officer (L/N), are you okay?” Nines asked slowly. You shook your head, “Are you having a panic attack?” He already knew the answer but he need to know if you were aware of what was happening.  
You nodded this time, “I think,” You huffed out so quickly it sounded more like one word than two.  
Gavin looked to Nines before standing to scurry away, muttering something about a blanket somewhere, while Nines held up his hands to show he wouldn’t touch you again, “You need to breathe, Officer.”  
You glared at him as you huffed out, “Easier…said… then done.”  
You continued to hyperventilate despite your efforts to calm yourself down. Fear still dominated your thoughts as adrenaline shot through your veins and a feeling of doom loomed over you. Suddenly, you noticed everything happening around you. The flashing lights of ambulances and squad cars surrounded the area around the house and officers were leading women out of the house over to waiting paramedics who were wrapping them in blankets and doing check up with them. It was a lot of feedback, and it was all too familiar.  
A heavy fleece blanket was dropped over your shoulders and a stuffed elephant shoved into your lap and Gavin crouched down in front of you again, “C’mon kid. In and out, deep breaths,” He carefully reached for your hand and when you showed no signs of pulling away he took it, placing it on his own chest so you could feel it’s steady rise and fall.  
Surrounded by warmth and comfort was soothing, causing the fear and feeling of doom to subside. You focused on the rhythm of Gavin’s breathing and tried to sync yours to his. The first attempts were shaky at best, but after a few minutes you had calmed completely and settled back into reality. As your heartbeat dropped to a normal rate, your energy dropped as well and you felt utterly exhausted. Gavin gently rubbed your back with his other hand as he dropped your hand from his chest; he knew what it was like to have a panic attack, he’d had his fair share after all, so he took the time to adjust the blanket around your shoulders so it covered you better.  
“Welcome back, kid,” He whispered softly.  
“How long was I…?” You asked hesitantly, your shoulders slumping forward.  
“We arrived about half an hour ago, but it took ten minutes to get you to respond. We’re unsure of how long you were out here before we found you though,” he recounted to you before pushing, “What happened that caused you to panic so suddenly?”  
You shook your head, toying with the stuffed elephant in your lap, “I really don’t want to talk about it, “I’m fine now and that’s all that matters.”  
Gavin sighed and shifted from kneeling to sitting in front of you, ignoring the cold ground, “No,” He stated firmly, “As your partners we need to know what triggered this reaction so we can avoid putting you in similar situations in the future,” He sighed again, softer this time, “Listen, greenie. I’ve been around the block a couple times, panic attacks like that don’t just happen.”  
You looked up at Gavin for a moment, then over to Nines, then back down at your lap, “He kept touching me,” you confessed, “They were soft, typical of grooming behavior. He was touching me the same way a man touches a girl to try and lull her into a sense of security before he drugs her and takes her away to do horrible things.” Your voice was soft and broken and you refused to look either detective in the eye.  
Nines’ LED flickered red, “Officer you’re not old enough to enter bars or drink.”  
Gavin’s brow furrowed, “Tin can is right, greenie. Why do you know that?”  
You looked up, steeling your emotions, “They teach it in the academy nowadays,” You weren’t lying, “But I’m also a girl who grew up in New York City, I was an officer there for a couple of months, I had to know for my own safety and the safety of other women. It doesn’t just happen in bars.” Also the truth.  
Gavin and Nines didn’t look like they bought your half-assed excuse of an explanation, but they nodded anyways once they noticed you beginning to doze off, giving into your exhaustion. Either way, together they hauled your ass off of the frozen ground and let you crawl into the backseat of the car. Gavin quietly encouraged you to stretch out across the seat to try and rest and restore your energy. It was only midday and you still needed to go back to the precinct and fill out paperwork as well as deal with a possible press meeting. Nines turned the heat up a bit to counteract any lasting results of your panic attack even though you had kept the blanket around you and used the elephant as a pillow.  
As Nines drove Gavin turned to face you and asked, “So you grow up touch starved or something, greenie? Obviously you don’t like people touching you.”  
“I’d really rather not talk about this Detective Reed,” You yawned quietly.  
“I believe talking to us may prove beneficial, Officer (L/N). We are your partners after all,” Nines chimed in.  
“Detective Nines, I’m sorry but I can’t talk about it. I know you both want to know what happened in New York but I honestly can’t talk about it. What happened there is between me and the NYPD and it’s best if it stays that way. I’m sorry.”  
Gavin scoffed and rolled his eyes, “Fuckin’ greenie. Just take a fuckin’ nap if you aren’t going to talk to us.”  
You were thankful that the conversation ended after that and took advantage of the quiet to fall into a light sleep. You knew that they would both find out eventually, whether Nines held his own investigation or Gavin terrorized you into telling them. It honestly wouldn’t have surprised you if he sat you down in one of the interrogation rooms and questioned you until you cracked. Nines, on the other hand, was more likely to go digging through news articles and records until he found condemning evidence and confronted you about the truth. You weren’t looking forward to either, but one of them was going to happen if you continuously denied them the information. Perks of working with detectives you guessed, nothing was secret for long.  
“I knew you had the blanket, Detective, but the stuffed animal is new information to me. Why do you keep that in your trunk?” Nines asked, genuinely curious.  
Gavin waved his hand flippantly, “Sometimes you gotta talk to kids and that can be rough. They don’t like being uncomfortable or feeling pressured so sometimes giving them a small toy or whatnot helps comfort them into talking.”  
Nines hummed, “That’s very thoughtful of you, Gavin. But Officer (L/N) isn’t a child, why present her with the toy and not just the blanket?”  
“Don’t be fooled by that profile you made for her or that tough front she puts up. That right there,” He pointed back at your sleeping form, “That’s a kid, Nines. That’s a kid who should be in college, figuring out how the world works and being afraid of making real decisions. I know you don’t have a point of reference, but I was twenty once, and being twenty is the adult equivalent of being a preschooler leaving their parents for the first time.”  
Nines’ LED flashed yellow, unsure of Gavin’s analogy but accepting it anyways, “I see. Thank you, Gavin.”  
The rest of the car ride was quiet. Music played softly from the radio, some station that flickered between Christian rap and talk show bits. As always the ride back seemed shorter than the initial drive when they left, but maybe it’s because they no longer were anticipating any sort of thrill or adrenaline rush. Nines parked the car in the same spot they had pulled out of and Gavin got out to enter the precinct and get a cup of coffee, leaving Nines to rouse you from your nap. He did so quickly and quietly, ushering you back inside the building while you continued to cling to the blanket like a child.  
The precinct was bustling as per usual and Nines silently led you back to ohis desk. Gavin was already sitting at him, cup of coffee in hand and terminal actively trying to log in. You settled yourself back onto your previous perch on Nines’ desk and held out the tablet in a silent request for him to log in. Nines interfaced with the tablet, affectively logging in and unlocking, and you began to type away to fill out the mandatory paperwork that came with closing a case.  
“She’s better than you, Detective. Quiet and working on paperwork” Nines mused with a smirk.  
Gavin grumbled, “Shut up, tin can.”  
The day continued slowly and you worked on the paperwork. You, Nines, and Gavin were informed you would have to attend a mandatory press meeting in two days in full uniform, which cause Gavin to grumble angrily for the rest of the shift considering he hadn’t worn it since the last press meeting he was required to attend. Eventually, the residual effects of your panic attack wore off and you folded the blanket and handed it back to Gavin, thanking him. As the evening came to a close, Nines and Gavin clocked out and Nines nearly ordered you to do the same when you insisted on staying. You promised him you’d only stay for an hour more before heading home, you were just trying to finish the paperwork as efficiently as possible anyways. Eventually, the android relented, mostly because Gavin was getting increasingly grumpy.  
One hour turned to two to four and suddenly you were leaving the precinct at two in the morning. You had to take an automated taxi back home but once you got there you immediately relaxed. Your golden retriever Sunshine greeted you happily before trotting into your bedroom demanding bedtime right then, and you agreed with her. Dragging yourself into your bedroom you flopped onto your bed without turning your light on. Sunshine rested her head on your chest and you put your hand on her head, a content smile crossing your face before fell asleep.  
Morning came too soon, your alarm jarring you awake only a few hours later. You got up and downed an 8 ounce can of Redline and headed out the door, stopping at a nearby Dunkin Donuts for a large latte before grabbing a taxi to work. As you entered the precinct you tossed your cup and made your way over to Nines and Gavin who already sat at their desks and were working. You hopped up on Nines’ desk and found his tablet already logged in and waiting for you.  
“Uh…you okay there greenie?” Gavin asked as he shot you an odd look.  
You looked up from the tablet, “Fine. Why?”  
“You’re uh…buzzing,” He said dumbly.  
Nines looked up from his terminal upon hearing Gavin’s words and glanced over at you with a look that could kill, “What time did you go to sleep last night, Officer?”  
“I don’t remember, late though. I think I left at like, two in the morning or something.” You shrugged, “Paperwork took a bit longer than expected but it’s done.” Nines squinted suspiciously at you before grabbing you by the wrist and licking a wide strip across it. “Ew! Nines!” You nearly shrieked as Gavin cackled.  
“I should have warned you,” He choked out between laughs, “The tin can has an analysis lab in his mouth and he isn’t afraid to use it against you!”  
“It is barely nine in the morning, Officer (L/N). Would you care to explain to me how you’ve managed to take in over 600 milligrams of caffeine already?” He scolded.  
You grimaced, “I’m fine, Nines. It was just an energy drink and a large coffee.”  
“600?” Gavin asked, astonished, “Isn’t that like…lethal?”  
Nines shook his head, releasing your wrist as he turned back to facing his terminal, “Not quite but she’s certainly going to be sick and she’s going to crash dramatically hard.” Nines stated coldly, obviously unamused with your actions, “She’s trembling as it is but I don’t see any other side effects bothering her.”  
“First of all, stop talking about me like I’m not right here. Second of all, this isn’t nearly the most caffeine I’ve had in my system at once. I’m fine,” You shook head as you got back to work.  
“Jeez, greenie, you’re going to kill yourself with habits like those,” Gavin deadpanned before turning back to his work, “Fuckin’ greenies man.”  
“Not green,” You reminded him playfully.  
“No proof,” He shot back.  
Nines had been painfully right about your crash and you proved him right when he said you would crash dramatically hard. It seemed on moment that you were working fine and the next you were dead exhausted. Before he even knew what was happening you had dozed off and fallen off of his desk onto the floor, startling both him and Gavin. Gavin recovered from his initial shock first and burst out laughing. You had had a rough first day but turns out your second day was going to be rougher, which he found oddly hilarious as it reminded him of his first couple of days. Even so, he stood up and picked you up off of the floor, tossing you over his shoulder like a sack of flour as Nines sat there still trying to process how he had let that slip. He laid you down on the couch in the breakroom, chuckling the whole way with a proud smile on his face. Boy was his greenie a mess.  
Nines came to stand beside him, LED momentarily blinking yellow before he commented, “You would make a good father.”  
Gavin scoffed, “I’m too old for that bullshit. Besides, you and I both know I’d be a terrible parent. I’m awful with kids.”  
“I don’t believe so but whatever you say, Detective.” Nines rolled his eyes at Gavin’s denial, “We should wake her for lunch.”  
Gavin nodded in agreement as they headed back to their desks. He had been partners with Nines for three years now, and the android had changed him for the better. Although he was still very much the detective Nines had met three years ago, Gavin was now much more amicable and good natured about some things. It seemed he may have a soft spot for his new underling, not that he’d ever admit to it. As agreed they woke you for lunch which consisted of Gavin holding a greasy, white carton of cheap Chinese under your nose to rouse you. He had smirked and chuckled when you woke up confused and your face scrunched up when you looked at him. Deep purple bags had settled under your eyes in the past hour and all you could manage was to mutter a pleading “kill me” under your breath to him, which made him outright laugh. Everything ached and the idea of eating made you feel far more nauseous than you already were. When you voiced this weakly, Nines began to scold you about the proper way to consume caffeine as well as the amount you should be taking in; you just nodded along miserably while Gavin ate. Never again.  
\---  
A month had passed since the caffeine incident. You still sat on Nines’ desk and worked off of his tablet, but that’s the way you preferred it. Each day with Gavin and Nines brought new adventures, whether it be in cases, or surviving mountains of paperwork together. They had gathered a lot about your habits and just exactly how bad they were, though Gavin had immediately chalked it up to being young and dumb because he remembered doing a lot of the same stuff. Every now and again Nines would scold you like you were a child and you’d promise to work on being healthier, which you did just not very successfully. The pair also managed to gather that you’d been through some kind of trauma that was probably more serious than they had first thought when they met you. Certain men sent your anxiety skyrocketing while others were fine, and they had yet to figure out the determining factor. All they knew was you had anxiety and it could be bad.  
Tonight, the three of you were on call which means you got to leave the precinct early and you’d have tomorrow off. You just had to get through tonight without any accidents and everything would be fine. Nines and Gavin were shrugging on their jackets to leave while you were putting the finishing touches on your case report before you could leave.  
“Good night, Officer (L/N). Please try to leave soon,” Nines requested with a small smile.  
“On the last sentence now, Nines. Just gotta submit it to Fowler and then I’m hightailing it out of here,” You responded without looking up from the tablet on your lap.  
“Alright, night greenie,” Gavin called as he shuffled towards the door to head home.  
“Not green!” You shouted across the room back at him.  
“No proof!” He shouted back as Nines practically shoved him out the door.  
You giggled as you finally submit the report and locked the tablet, hopping down from your perch. At home there was a crockpot full of chili waiting for you as well as a very happy golden retriever, so you rushed home. When you entered your small apartment Sunshine jumped up from the couch to greet you, trotting over happily and pushing herself against you. You leaned down to pat her and placed a kiss to her head, cooing to her about being such a good girl. After a quick session of pets you moved to the kitchen to eat dinner as well as pack away the leftovers into containers you could bring for lunch later in the week. Around eight in the evening you and Sunshine settled down in your room, settling on fleece shorts and a tank top you could easily pull your uniform over and setting up your radio and pager on your nightstand. With the lights still in you crawled onto your bed and pulled out a book. You’d spend the evening reading while you waited to possibly be called into action. Despite your efforts, you fell asleep around midnight.  
The distinct sound of a bell startled you awake, causing you to tumble off of the bed as a louder, high pitched beep began to sound off every few seconds. The fire alarm. You quickly hooked your badge and radio to your shorts¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬- which caused them to ride lower on your hips than you’d like- and grabbed your blanket off your bed to protect you from the cold. As you slipped on your slippers you grabbed your keys and Sunshine’s leash.  
“Sunny!” The golden retriever came trotting up to you and you leashed her, heading out the door and into the crowded halls where residents were trying to exit the building.  
As you exited the building, you went to stand across the parking lot, watching as firetrucks barreled into the scene and smoke begin to rise from the building. You could only hope there wouldn’t be much damage and you’d be able to salvage some of your belongings. You had a dog to house anyways and pet friendly apartments that allowed dogs as big as Sunshine were few and far between.  
“All officers respond,” Your radio cut through the quiet noise of the crowd as it hissed to life, “Fire at 123 Main Street, Towers apartment complex.”  
You picked up your mic to respond, “Officers (L/N), already at the scene but unable to respond as an officer.”  
“Reason?” The moderator asked.  
“I’m currently standing outside in my pajamas and holding my dog while watching my apartment building burn down,” You sighed exasperatedly. Of course you couldn’t respond on the night you were on call.  
The radio went silent as you assumed the moderator and other officers began to understand why you were there but couldn’t respond, “Detectives Reed and Nines inbound,” Static surrounded the familiar voice of the android.  
A few other officers responded over the next few minutes, reporting they were inbound to the scene to help with crowd control and damages. You stood and watched as firefighters worked hard to put out the unrelenting blaze. Every time the flames seemed to die down a bit, a new streak of burning red light would show up at another section of the building. It was bad. Sunshine whimpered softly and laid down on your feet. Eventually Gavin sidled up to you, but you were so focused on your burning building that you didn’t notice.  
“So, that’s your building greenie?” He asked casually as he shoved his handing in the pockets of his jacket.  
You jumped a bit at his sudden appearance before nodding, “Uh…yeah.” You readjusted your grip on Sunshine’s leash.  
“You’re shivering,” Gavin pointed out dumbly, whistling low and clicking his tongue.  
You looked at him unamused before opening your blanket just long enough that he could glance at your less than appropriate attire before pulling it closed again to keep you warm, “No wonder,” You spat sarcastically, “Where’s Nines?”  
“Doing crowd control and making sure everyone who needs help is getting it,” He said easily as he shrugged, “You got anywhere to stay, greenie?”  
You shook your head, “Motel I gue…I didn’t grab my wallet. Dammit.” You spat.  
Gavin threw his arm around your shoulders, tugging you into his warm side, “You can stay with me and Nines. We have an extra room.”  
“Gavin I couldn’t,” You protested, “I have Sunshine and-”  
“Sunshine is more than welcome,” He cut you off, “You said she’s friendly with all sorts of animals, right?” You nodded, “Then she won’t mind Iggy and Oxy, and they won’t mind her.” When you started to protest again he cut you off…again, “Listen, it’s the least we could do for you, kid. Let us help.”  
Finally, you nodded, “Okay, Gav. Thank you.”  
Nines found his way over to the two of you a few minutes later after the crowd started dispersing and everything calmed down. It was evident that no one was getting back in the building tonight and it was late. You were half asleep against Gavin’s shoulder, he was warm and inviting and it felt nice to have someone care. Nines smiled at the sight as he walked up, his LED blinking blue as he took a picture of the scene in front of him. He’d never seen you and Gavin so at peace with each other.  
“Is she coming back with us?” Nines asked as he strode up to Gavin’s side.  
“Well hello to you too Nines,” You scoffed and smiled tiredly.  
“Yeah,” Gavin nodded and pulled you closer into his side, “Let’s get this one home and warm her up, she’s been shivering for the past hour.” He bent down slightly to talk to Sunshine, “And we’ll take this good girl home as well and get her a soft blanket.  
Nines took his jacket off and draped it over your shoulders, “Your freezing, Officer,” He sounded concerned, “Let’s go home. We’ve been dismissed.”  
Gavin and Nines led you to their car a block down, and Gavin opened the back door for you as Nines climbed into the driver’s side. You let Sunshine jump in before you, quietly apologizing to Gavin for the fur but he just shrugged and pushed you in after her. You collapsed into the seat when Gavin pushed you and he chuckled, closing the door and getting into his own seat. As he drove, Nines blasted the heat to try and, warm up your freezing form but only managed to affectively lull you into a deep slumber. Sunshine’s head rested on your lap and your hand rested over her head as she snored quietly. Neither detective noticed you were asleep until they pulled into their driveway and Gavin looked at you using the rearview mirror.  
“Grab Sunshine, will you Nines? I’ll get the kid,” Gavin offered in a hushed voice.  
Gavin and Nines got out of the car in sync, opening their respective back doors. Sunshine easily followed Nines after he took her leash, the damn dog was too friendly for her own good. As quietly as possible, Gavin maneuvered around until he managed to unbuckle your seatbelt and pull you into his arms in a bridal carry. He carried you into the warm house and straight to the guest room and straight into the guest room where he laid you down and tucked you in under the covers. Sunshine jumped up onto the bed, alerting Gavin that Nines had entered the room and he watched as the golden retriever curled up in your side.  
“I still believe you would make a great father,” Nines said softly as he came to stand beside Gavin, resting his hand on the shorter man’s shoulder.  
“Nah, I’m trash at feelings and stuff. You know that,” He crossed his arms as he watched you sleep for a few more moments, “Besides, how are we supposed to help a kid with their feelings when we barely understand our own?”  
“She may need us, Gavin. She trusts us,” Nines reminded him, “Now let’s go to bed, chances are we won’t be needed again tonight.”  
\---  
“Please stop!” You bolted upright as fear ran through your body, your breath ragged and tears springing to your eyes. “Fuck,” You whispered as you realized it was just a dream and you weren’t back in New York.  
Sunshine sprung up, stepping onto your lap to apply pressure to your thighs like you had trained her, and trying to lick your face. It wasn’t long after you awoke that Nines came barreling into the room, breaking the door open and armed. A quick scan of the room showed nothing out of the ordinary in the room, and upon further analysis he realized no one had been in the room besides you and Sunshine and he quickly dropped his arms, flicking the safety back on. Gavin came stumbling in after him, a metal bat in his hands that he lowered once he realized you were fine.  
Nines swiftly sat on the edge of the bed, resting his hand on your thigh near Sunshine’s paw; you flinched slightly but he didn’t pull his hand away as he asked, “Officer, what happened? Are you okay?”  
You shook your head and rubbed at your face with your hands, not looking at him, “Nightmare,” You gasped shortly, “I’m fine.” A blush crept up your neck.  
Gavin sat on your other side, fully pulling his legs onto the bed and sitting up against the headboard, “You’re not fine, kid.”  
“I don’t want to talk about it. I can’t talk about, I can’t that only makes things worse. I can’t,” You shook your head again, continuing to shake as you kept your head buried in your hands, “Sunshine is handling it.”  
“Officer, keeping to yourself will not help you,” Nines reassured you but his tone was firm, as if demanding you told them.  
“I have a therapist!” You snapped angrily, “It’s fine!” You voice grew weaker, “Everything is fine. I’m fine.” You nearly sobbed, voice barely above a whisper, “I’m fine.”  
Gavin looked up to Nines, the uneasiness clear in his face, but the android just nodded reassuringly, “Kid,” Gavin started and he pulled your hands away from you face, gently cradling them in his own, “You’re not fine. I need to know what’s going on in that head of yours. Nines and I…we care, and we’ve learned so much about you in this past month but we’re missing the links between it all. Help us out, kid. Let us in.”  
You leaned into Gavin’s side, watching how he played with your fingers and massaged your palms, “Redacted,” You whispered weakly.  
“I know, kid. I know,” He murmured as he dropped your hands in favor of rubbing up and down your arms in long, smooth motions, “It’s okay. You’re safe with us.”  
You were silent for a long moment, “I…they…” You choked on your words as tears welled up in your eyes. You grasped for one of Gavin’s hands which he willingly gave you and Nines gently took your other hand in his and you glanced at him before looking back down, “I spent six months undercover,” You managed before you had to pause and take a deep breath, shutting your eyes, “Six months in a human trafficking.” You breathed out shakily then immediately gasped, “I…I had to…t-t-there was…I did so many…” A sob cut you off as you broke down, shaking violently at the thought of talking about what had happened.  
Gavin pulled you into his lap, allowing you to bury your face into his chest and grip his shirt as you cried. His hands rubbed circles into your back as he sat in silence, taking in what you had just said and the implications behind it. Nines moved to be behind you, and hugged you from there. The three of you stayed like that for a long time, the only sound the sound of your shaky breaths as you tried to calm down, as your partners came to understand everything you had been through. Things you had said about touching made sense now, your anxiety around certain types of men made sense now, you not wanting anyone to know what you had done made sense now, everything made sense to them now. After time, your sobs dissipated and you just sat there trembling, smooshed in between your two partners.  
Nines pulled back gently, “How about some breakfast and we’ll all relax?”  
You nodded not looking up from where you were still buried in Gavin’s chest. The man shifted beneath you, still careful of how he held you cradled in his lap. You felt Nines get up and leave the room and once he did, Gavin gently pulled your face from his chest, using a tissue to wipe away any leftover tears from your cheeks. That must have been what he shifted to grab as there was a box now beside him. He looked concerned but there was also a soft look in his eye.  
“We don’t need to talk about it, okay kid? You’ve told us enough,” He promised. You nodded and he smiled, “I’m so proud of you kid. To think my little greenie went through all that and came out stronger…I’m proud to call you my partner, greenie.”  
“I came out broken, Gavin,” You hiccupped, “I was like a puppet and they used me and now I’m broken.”  
“You’re not broken,” He pushed the loose hair away from your face, “You’re just a little roughed up. A little spit shine from me and Nines and you’ll be fine,” You and he both knew it would take a lot more than that, but it’s the thought that counted and you knew what it meant. “How about you just stay with us for a while, yeah? Nines and I…we’ll take care of you.”  
“I’m not a kid, Gavin,” You murmur, “I can’t just depend on you and Nines. I have to be an adult.”  
Gavin looked you in the eyes, “You’re a kid to me. I’m forty-two.”  
You let your head thud against his chest again, still gripping onto his shirt, “Why are you so nice to me? When I started everyone wished me good luck when they heard I was working with you, warned me about you, but you’re nothing like they said. At least not to me.”  
Gavin placed his hand on your head, gently combing through your hair, “To be honest I don’t know. Maybe Nines has made me soft,” He confessed, “But you’re like the kid I never had. I’m glad to put you up and take care of you. You still have a lot to learn about life…like taxes.”  
“I don’t know how to do my taxes,” You admitted quietly and Gavin laughed loudly.  
He rubbed your arms once again before pushing you away, “Alright, kid. Let’s get up and moving. Nines is making chocolate chip pancakes and I can already smell the coffee brewing,” He stood up from the bed and stretched, “Let me get you a hoodie.”  
Before you could say anything else Gavin shuffled out of the room and you finally noticed his rumpled grey shirt and red plaid pajama pants. His hair was ruffled in the best way and a small smile graced your lips. A dark blue hoodie was tossed into your room and you watched as he walked away towards what you assumed was the kitchen. Pulling on the soft material that fell past your hands and nearly down to your knees, you followed after him.  
You found yourself in a nice living area that had a breakfast bar that separated it from the kitchen. Nines stood in front of the stove, flipping pancakes. Two mugs sat on the counter and Gavin scooped one up and took a large swig from it. You watched as a cream color cat jumped up on the counter to inspect the other mug and Gavin leaned against the counter to scratch its head. Sunshine came barreling in from another room being chased by and orange cat. She play bowed before running away again, followed closely behind. It all seemed very…domestic.  
“Officer, you may want to grab your mug before Iggy gets any more curious,” Nines warned you with a smirk, “It wouldn’t be the first time he’s stuck a paw in someone’s drink.”  
You smiled and walked over to stand beside Gavin, lifting the mug and taking a swig to find it full of hot chocolate, “Really Nines? Hot chocolate?”  
“It’s better for your nerves than coffee is,” He stated as he set down two plates of chocolate chip pancakes down on the counter, along with forks, “Now both of you need to eat.”  
You dug in to the pancakes happily, but noticed Gavin pouring a load of syrup onto his, “Jeez and you think my eating habits are bad,” You laughed.  
Gavin scoffed, “You’re the weirdo eating pancakes without syrup.”  
You smiled, “Healthier than your syrup dependency.” You took a forkful of pancake and ate, melting at the taste, “These are fantastic, Nines!”  
“Why thank you, Officer. I pride myself on my cooking abilities,” The android smiled as he joined the two of you at the breakfast bar, a mug of warmed thirium in his hand.  
“You know you can call me (Y/N), right? It’s not a sin to use my name,” You teased.  
Nines nodded, “Thank you, (Y/N).” He reached out and ruffled your hair, which prompted Gavin to do the same.  
You ducked away from their hands laughing, “You guys are such dads.”  
Gavin froze and Nines shot him a look that just screamed “I told you so.” You looked back at them and raised your eyebrow to ask what was up but they both seemed to shake it off with content smiles, “It comes with age I guess,” Gavin hummed, “Nines would be a good dad.”  
“I think you’d be a good dad too, Gavin,” You expressed.  
Gavin froze again, obviously surprised by your statement, then shot you a bright smile and pulled you into his side using one arm, “Thanks kid.”


End file.
